HEALTH: The Private Option reauthorization overcame its final hurdle yesterday. After passing the Senate last week, lawmakers in the House of Representatives approved continuing the Private Option by a wide margin.
AACF applauds the legislature for backing Governor Hutchinson’s plan to continue the funding. The Private Option provides affordable, quality health coverage to over 220,000 Arkansans, and it has also provided financial certainty for our hospitals and the state’s budget. This plan is not only a win for Arkansas families; it is a victory for all those who care about a financially stable health care system that serves communities throughout our state. A legislative task force will now determine what shape the Private Option and the broader Medicaid program will take in the future. We will continue work to make sure our lawmakers know how important quality, affordable coverage is for Arkansas families.
In other health-related news, several appropriation bills were recently filed and referred to the Joint Budget Committee for the Department of Human Services, Department of Health, and the Arkansas Insurance Department including HB1147, HB1149, HB1152, and HB1174. These bills comprise funds for several administrative offices and health care programs and services.
TAX AND BUDGET: Governor Hutchinson’s tax plan passed this week and is designed to give a break to those earning between $21,000 and $75,000 a year. The middle 20 percent of taxpayers, those with incomes between $30,000 and $50,000, will receive an average tax cut of $39 under the proposal. The plan also reduces, but does not repeal, the tax exemptions on capital gains income that were passed in the 2013 legislative session. Other smaller tax cuts will likely be held until closer to the end of the session.
EDUCATION: There was no action on pre-K or after-school and summer program funding this week. AACF is reviewing three new education bills filed this week. HB1263 would provide a waiver process permitting districts with fewer than 350 students to avoid forced consolidation. HB1241 would delay the use of the PARCC assessment which was slated to replace the Benchmark exam this year. Finally SB 218 would limit access to student data to only education agencies. This may present difficulties to other groups who want to hold our schools accountable.
Also of note, Rep. Justin Harris (R- West Fork) filed HB1271. The bill requires eight of the nine members of the State Board of Education to be elected and one appointed. Currently all members are appointed by the governor. Electing State Board of Education members from congressional districts will inevitably bring in out-of-state dollars that will impact how the board is chosen to represent the interests of Arkansans. We believe the best strategy for filling board vacancies is to have them appointed by the governor.
JUVENILE JUSTICE: Rep. Greg Leding (D-Fayetteville) has filed the Fair Sentencing for Minors Act. The bill would establish that minors are constitutionally different from adults and should be considered in sentencing minors for adult crimes. It would also remove life without parole from the list of sentencing options in cases where minors are convicted of adult crimes. The bill creates more age-appropriate sentencing options for minors who commit serious crimes. The goal of the legislation is to eliminate all de facto life or other extreme sentences for children under 18 years of age, so it’s something we’re watching very closely.